The mayor of the German City of Hockenheim and member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Dieter Gummer was attacked at his house and was seriously injured as a result. The attacker, whose identity remains unknown encountered Gummer in the yard and hit him in the face, knocking the mayor to the ground. As a result of the fall, Gummer reportedly sustained a head injury and was later hospitalised.
At present, the motive for the assault remains unclear, and a local police spokesperson said that they are investigating all options. Gummer has been mayor of Hockenheim since 2004 and was due to retire this August.
via @PerilofAfrica SPD-Politiker schwer verletzt: Oberbürgermeister von Hockenheim niedergeschlagen: Ein Unbekannter hat Dieter Gummer vor dessen Privathaus angegriffen. Das Motiv ist noch unklar, der Täter flüchtig. https://t.co/PbO6eq4Mqt pic.twitter.com/ydv7hmXElt
— MarthaLeah Nangalama (@mlnangalama) July 16, 2019
The perpetrator fled the scene on foot and has not been found yet. According to police, the attacker was a 40-year-old male with a dark skin and spoke German with a slight accent.
The attack on Gummer follows a recent attack on the head of the German city of Kassel, Walter Lübcke, who was shot dead on 2 June in front of his house. The alleged killer was arrested around two weeks later.
